Automatic attachment for piano-players.



F. P. SMITH. AUTOMATIC ATTACHMENT PoR PIANO PLAYERS.

L 9 M 1 E 9H 2 s 2 Q a m .Am MM 2 `N m, H .m30 a )u QN P w 1, A om a .M\M\ w n Q u m i P W o M u d i .m v m .-3 a u LQ .a R. n 1R. wm.

Tur Numzls Firmas ca., wAsmNafaN, n. c.

I'. P. SMITH. AUTOMATIC ATTACHMENT PoR PIANO PLAYERS.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908. 2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

me .voRms Ferns cn., was

UNTTED sTaTns PATENT onirica.

FRANK P. SMITH, OF HANOVER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASS'IGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SMITHLYRA- PHONE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC ATTACIIIiENT FOR PIANO-PLAYERS.

Application tiled September 23, 1905.

To all whom it may concern. I

Be it known that I, FRANK P. SMITH, a I citizen of the United States,residing at Hanover, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and i useful Improvement in Automatic Attachmentsfor Piano-Players, of which the 'following is a specification.

-ivIy invention relates to improvements in automatic attachments forpiano-players.

Among the objects of the invention are, to provide an expression barconsisting of a plurality of sections adapted to be operated l in partor as a whole to control the touch of the key-levers; to provide anindependent lever for controlling each section of the expression bar toprovide a lever adapted to be moved sidewise to control the speed of thetake-up roller and also adapted to be pushed in to disconnect thetake-up roller from its source of propulsion for temporarily stoppingthe travel of the music-sheet, and to arrange the lever for controllingthe tempo and stop in close proximity with the levers for controllingthe sections of the expression bar, whereby the expression, tempo, andhold may all be effected with one hand.

The invention consists of the new and novel parts and combination ofparts hereinafter more fully set forth in the specification and pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upperpart of a piano-player, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 isa detailed plan view of the expression bar and the operating levers, thetwo end sections being broken away. Fig. 3 is a detailed plan view ofthe tempo and hold lever. Fig. iis a detailed front view showing theexpression levers and the tempo and hold lever. Fig. 5 is a detail, inbottom plan view, of portion of the wind chest and its attachedoperating wires and pneumatics.

The keyboard-operating devices comprise a series of levers 1, 2 and 3,and as such levers are the same throughout the entire set ofkeyboard-operating devices I have shown in the drawings one set thereofonly. The levers l are suitably supported froin the casing of theapparatus and are held to their l normal position by the springs 4. Eachof said levers is pivoted at about its center and Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

serial Nn. 279,764.

herein designate as Hcomposite lingers, and

they will hereinafter be so referred to as such.

IVithin the casing of the apparatus is suitably supported a longitudinalbar 3, having an inclined surface 9, and upon this inclined surface 9there are secured a series of I head-blocks 10, equal in number to thenumber of composite iingers. To the upper end of these head blocks 10the levers 3 of the composite fingers are pivoted, as at 11, and whichlevers 3 normally rest upon said headblocks. To the lower ends of theheadblocks 1() are pivoted the levers 12 which latter are operated bythe puppets 13, arranged in suitable guides 14, the upper ends of saidpuppets being connected with rock-wires arranged below and in line withthe pneumatics 16 of the wind-chest 17. Loosely hung to the levers 12,as by pivots 18, are the shoe-levers 19, carrying at their lower endsthe shoes 20, which latter are adapted to be brought into contact with'the revolving cylinder 21 for the purpose of operating the compositefingers.

The expression bar is constructed of a plurality of sections 22, 23 and24 supported by means of spring hinges 25 from an upright extension ofthe bar 3 and overhang the levers 2 of the composite fingers and areno1- rnally held above said levers by their spring hinges, andthe saidsections of the expression bar are connected by wires 26, 27 and 28 totheir respective expression levers 29, 30 and 31 which latter extend tothe front of the easing in convenient reach of the operator. Thus itwill be seen that by raising any of said levers vertically itsrespective sectionof the expression bar will be brought closer to thelevers 2 and the flexure of the connection between the levers 2 and 3will be reduced and a more direct action of the lever 3 to the lever 1will be produced, and a louder tone obtained. By having the expressionbar made of a plurality of sections each connected to an independentlever, the

adapted at one end to engage the keys of the said bar can be operated inpart or as a whole ends of levers 3 and depending thereto control thetouch of the levers 1. By this means it will be observed that expressionin a piece or' music can readily be produced by simply manipulating theexpression levers at the proper time.

Just above the expression levers 29, 30 and 31, and in close proximitythereto, l provide a tempo and hold lever 32 pivoted at one end of abell-crank lever 33, which latter is fulcrumed at 34 to the wind chest.The tempo and hold lever 32 is connected to a wire 35 which leads to themechanism for varying the speed of the take-up roller, whereby when thesaid lever 32 is moved to one side the speed of the take-up roller, andconsequently the music sheet, is increased, and when moved to theopposite side the speed of the take-up roller is diminished. Thebell-crank lever 33 is also connected to a wire 36 leading to themechanism for driving the take up roller, and adapted, when the lever 32is pushed in to disconnect the take-up roller from its source ofpropulsion for temporarily stopping the travel of the music sheet. Thusit will be seen that by the sidewise movement of the lever 32 the tempo,or time, is controlled, and by pushing in said lever short stops orpauses in the music being played may be produced.

by arranging the levers 29, 30 and 31 in close proximity to the lever32, it will be seen that the expression, tempo, and hold may all bereadily controlled by one hand 3 the thumb resting in the lever 32 andthree fingers under the levers 29, 30 and 31.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. ln an automatic attachment for pianos, the combination with thetake-up roller and means for driving same, of a lever 32, a bellcranklever 33 connected at one end to the lever 32, means connecting theother end ofthe bell-crank lever 33 with the driving mechanF ism for thetake-up roller for disconnecting the latter from its source ofpropulsion, and a rod 35 connecting the lever 32 with the means forvarying the speed of the take-up roller.

2. In an automatic attachment for pianos, the combination of anexpression bar consisting of a plurality of sections, levers forcontrolling the sections of the expression bar, a lever 32 arranged inclose proximity to the expression levers, a bell-crank lever 33connected at one end to the lever 32, means connecting the other end ofthe lever 33 with the driving` mechanism ior the take-up roller fordisconnecting the latter from its source of propulsion, and a rod 35connecting the lever 32 with the means for varying the speed of thetake-up roller.

3. ln an automatic attachment for pianos, the combination with thetake-up roller and means for driving same, of the levers 1, 2 and 3, anexpression bar consisting or a plurality oi' sections extending acrossthe levers 2, an independent lever for controlling each section of thesaid expression bar, a lever 32 arranged in close proximity to theexpression levers, a bell-crank lever 33 connected at one end to thelever 32, means connecting the other end of the lever 33 with thedriving mechanism for the take-up roller for disconnecting the latterfrom its source of propulsion, and a rod 35 connecting the lever 32 withthe means for varying the speed of the take-up roller.

In testimony whereof ,l have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK l). SMTH.

Witnesses:

CHAPIN A. FERGUSON, WM. R. LLEWELLYN.

